Yankees lose in Anaheim as usual and some notes

The New York Yankees lost to the Anaheim Angels last night by the score of 3-2.  It was a very non exciting game.  There were only three hits from the Yankees, they made Jered Weaver work but that is all they did.  They had him at 101 pitches after five innings but he only threw six pitches in the sixth inning and that is what could of changed the game.  If they were more patient and got him out in that inning would they have won the game??  It is difficult to say, who knows what would of happened but it didn't help that he got through that inning really quickly and was able to complete seven innings.  Ivan Nova is the other story as he started out shaky and the Yankees bullpen was busy in the fourth inning, he settled down though and pitched a good ballgame going into the seventh inning.  He is having an up and down season and many young starters do but he seemed to grow up in this one a little bit.  Here are some postgame notes from the late game.  The two teams will play game two of their three game series tonight at 9:00PM.

 Jeter on his 15-pitch at-bat to start the game: “It was a while. I don’t know how many pitches it was, but it was probably the longest I’ve been up there. I’m not known for being up there too long.” Just a few seconds later, with a straight face, Jeter began explaining that his entire approach tonight was to foul off as many pitches as possible. He was kidding.



 After Jeter flied out to end that opening at-bat, he clearly communicated a little bit with Weaver as he ran off the field. “It was just more of a gesture,” Jeter said. “I’ve known him since he was a teenager, so it was all in good fun.”

 The line drive back to the mound hit Nova at the very bottom of his glove hand, and pretty much hit all glove. Nova said he’s fine. “I just see the ball right at my face and react,” he said.

Turns out to be significant that Jorge Posada’s fourth-inning double bounced over the wall. If that weren’t a ground rule double, Nick Swisher almost certainly would have scored an extra run.

 Nova had never faced any of the Angels hitters before tonight.

Boone Logan was brought in to face a switch hitter tonight. He got two strikes, but he couldn’t put Alberto Callaspo away, giving up a single. “I just thought he missed his spot with that pitch,” Girardi said. “With two strikes, hitters sometimes shorten up a little bit and take a little bit different approach, and you got to be able to make the pitch.”

 The Angels announced that Ervin Santana has been bumped up one day and will start Saturday in place of Dan Haren. Joel Pineiro will start Sunday’s game in place of Santana.

 Jeter was asked if it’s starting to feel like the Yankees are facing one ace after another. “Even if you’re facing guys that may not be big-name pitchers,” he said, “they still seem to get up for us and throw the ball well."

The Yankees really struggle in Anaheim and with the Angels in general.  The Yankees are 45-56 against them including last nights game since 2000.  They haven't won a series in Anaheim in seven years and are 8-20 in their last 28 series there.  Anaheim is not a place the Yankees like going too, for whatever reason they just don't win there. 

The Yankees will have their ace on the mound tonight with C.C. Sabathia pitching against Ervin Santana.